OOPS... Corrected... ----------------------- When the Earth image is about 4" across (8,000km), and the satellites are one pixel across (say .001") then each dot is actually to scale a spacecraft that is 2km wide. Which is about 4000 times bigger in diameter than a real spacecraft.
So what you are seeing is what space would look like if every one of our satellies was the size of a EARTH-KILLER asteroid.
Actually the impact concern is the AREA so in effect, the 4000 times smaller spacecraft are actually 16,000,000 times smaller in cross section than the dot on the image. (unless I made another stupid math error).
Bob, Wb4APR
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Franklin Antonio Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 1:30 AM To: MICHAEL Cc: [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Odd Question
At 09:22 PM 9/23/2013, MICHAEL wrote:
For the longest time I have been wondering how a satellite is placed in orbit without hitting anything else? I have seen pictures of all the stuff circling the Earth and it just baffles me how anyone can get anything in orbit without hitting anything. Can anyone explain this?
Sure. Those pictures you've been looking at are not drawn to scale.
The dots representing the satellites should be a lot smaller. If they were, you'd see there's a lot of "space" out there.
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On 9/24/2013 10:45 AM, Robert Bruninga wrote:
Actually the impact concern is the AREA
Which leads to a surprising problem. Suppose a cubesat at the end of it's mission deploys some sort of sail intended to increase atmospheric drag and shorten time to re-entry. Good idea right? Maybe not, since you are potentially increasing the number of square-meter-years in orbit. From an overall risk perspective, it might be better to leave the smaller object in orbit longer.
-Joe KM1P
participants (2)
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Joe Fitzgerald
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Robert Bruninga